When you use Backup to restore Exchange 2000 databases, application programming interface (API) calls are made to the Exchange Extensible Storage Engine (ESE) to restore Exchange database files and their associated log files.

You can use Exchange database backups to restore one or more damaged mailbox or public folder stores. You can also use Exchange database backups to restore every mailbox and public folder on your server running Exchange 2000.

In a disaster recovery scenario that involves rebuilding a server, use Backup to restore your Exchange databases after you run Exchange 2000 Setup and any Exchange 2000 service packs in Disaster Recovery mode.

Note Installing Exchange 2000 (and any service packs that were running on your server prior to the disaster) in Disaster Recovery mode prevents Setup from mounting the databases. You can then properly restore and then mount your Exchange database backups at the end of the recovery process.

This section contains the following information about restoring Exchange databases:

• Overview of the Exchange 2000 restore process
• Preparing to recover Exchange 2000 databases

  Before you restore Exchange 2000 databases, perform each of the following steps. Each step is described in detail in this section.

  1. Dismount the Exchange databases that you are restoring.
  2. Configure the Exchange databases so the restore process can overwrite them.
  3. Determine the database and log file locations of the files you are restoring.
  4. Copy or move the existing versions of the database files you are restoring.
  5. Ensure that the storage group and database display names match the names of the files you are restoring.

• Recovering an Exchange 2000 database
• Resolving Exchange database restore problems
• Restoring Exchange 2000 databases to an alternate server

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Standard Edition
• Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, Premium Edition
• Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, Standard Edition
• Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server